Hufflepuff Harry
by Wind172
Summary: Harry sprted into Hufflepuff. This will be an Alternate Universe
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and company.

Author's Note: This story will be updated about once a month until I finish Silver viper.

Prologue

At 1:10 AM on the last Sunday in February an alarm went off Snape's rooms . Grumbling he got up and went to check on it. It was the wards on the Dursley residence. They have collapsed. This is trouble. Sprout was awake at this hour having the midnight to four shift in the infirmary. She'll do for his backup.

Dressed he went to the infirmary to find Sprout idly reading a book. "We need to go to number 4 Privet drive immediately." he said.

"Emma," Sprout wakes the sixth year.

"Madam?" the sleepy Emma asked.

"If any one comes in you are in charge." Sprout ordered. A flick of her wand has her cloak about her. "There's a pub called the Gilded Rose that's on the Floo network. We can pick up help there if we need it." Snape blinked. That was not what he was expecting. Once they where at one of the few public floo connected fireplaces in the castle. "Hufflepuff is the house of loyalty and hard work. The pub is owned by a former student of mine and his Sister in law is an Auror who was in the Order."

Of all the surprises he had when he came to teach here the most surprising was Pomona Sprout. They exited the Floo into a rather staid English country pub. From it's stable yard they could Apparate to Privet drive with ease. The house was intact. A quick unlocking charm on the door got them inside. Sprout headed upstairs immediately while Snape check the downstairs.

What he found was a bland muggle house and no sign of the black haired Harry Potter. Sprout came down stairs. "Is there a bedroom down here?" she asked.

"No." Snape replied.

Sprout removed a packet from her cloak. She cast a soft murmured spell then the door to the cupboard under the stairs light up. "Open it." she ordered.

Snape did so. Inside there was mattress on the floor covered with cheap sheets and blankets, a few broken toys. "So this is were they are keeping him." Snape commented. "He's their dirty little secret." Noting there where no books of the kind 5 years olds have. Not even the ripped or damaged ones.

"Indeed." Sprout commented. "Let's find the boy." she murmured the spell again with some added words. A ball of light sprang from her wand and lead them at a walking pace to were Harry Potter was. It lead them to Magnolia Crescent and the house of Mrs. Figg. Which at this late hour had it's lights still on.

Severus knocked on the door. Mrs. Figg with a fussy Harry Potter in her arms answered the door. "May I help you?" she asked.

"Arabella dear it's Pomona." dropping the hood of her cloak so the woman could see her. "Do you know were Harry's Guardians are?"

"Gone to his sister's for her birthday. They leave young Harry here every year. Though they are usually back by now." Mrs. Figg replied. "He's not family."

"I see, Madam could you watch Harry a little longer while we ascertain what has happened to his guardians." Severus asked.

"Certainly though he was left with only what he was wearing."

"I'll be by with some things for him later in the morning." Sprout promised her.

Sprout cast another spell on the packet and a map appeared in front of her. The location isn't that far. "Let's arrive a little ways off. I think that is were the muggle A1 runs." Severus told her.

A whispered word and the roads are added to the map. "It is," Sprout replied.

They appear on a pedestrian walk way over the A1 in the distance they can see muggle emergency crews working. A disillusionment charm later they are in the middle of it. A muggle sedan hit a lorry head on killing every one in the sedan. Severus gets the name of the morgue they are taking the bodies to then it's back to Hogwarts via the Gilded Rose. By this time Dumbledore has returned from London and a late night sitting of the Wizengamut.

"Your report?" he asked tiredly.

"The Dursley's are dead Head on collision with a Lorry. Potter was left with Mrs. Figg so wasn't any were near the accident. I'll collect the Death certificates from the muggle authorities." Severus said. "It would be best if he was placed with a wizarding family or one who has a working knowledge of the magical world."

"I concur Albus." Sprout added.

"Thank you both." Dumbledore dismissed them. He rose to his feet and headed to bed he will have a long day ahead of him. Before he goes though he sends Fawkes to his assistant requesting the Potter family tree and Harry's file.

Arriving at his office a little past 7 AM he found his assistant already hard at work. The files he requested already on his desk. The first thing is to find a Potter relative able and alive to take him. That proved harder then he thought. It seemed early death was the norm for the Potter males and of the handful of Potter born females none of them lived in the British Isles that wouldn't do. Young Harry had to go to Hogwarts. That left him trying to track down Lily Potter's relatives.

That information was included in Harry's file so he opened it and stopped the front page was a blood claim from one Wiltrudis Baines Witch. It included her relationship to Harry. He was surprised he had never thought to look at the sisters of Harry's magical Grandmothers. He turns again to the Potter family tree hoping to find a closer relative so he can over turn the claim. Nothing. Lily Potter's family tree is as bare of living members as the Potter family tree.

He has his assistant bring in Wiltrudis Baines file. It is distressingly thin. No Hogwarts records, no registered wand. Ollivander has for years supplied that information. An Apothecaries license. A fixed port key loci. Tax information. An apothecaries license requires considerable skill in magic so not a squib.

A check of the clock reveals it's close to tea time. He'll stop by for some tea and check her out. He portkeys to the farm which proves to be next to the Dragon reserve. There he is met by a house elf in a dirty smock with a trowel in his hand.

"Is Miss Baines at home I am here about her claim to Harry Potter." he said to the elf.

"Mistress be home. Go to up the house." the elf pointed the way then went back to whatever he was doing.

Dumbledore followed the stone path to the front door of a lovely cottage. He knocked on the door. A woman of 60 or so answered it. "Miss Baines?" he asked.

"Prof. Dumbledore do come in this is about my claim on Harry?" she asked him.

"Yes, there is very little in your file on your background." he followed her to the parlor and took the seat she offered.

"I am Ys trained never did attend Hogwarts. Though both of my children did. David attended 1960 to 1967 and Rose attended from 1964 to 1971 Rose was in Ravenclaw and David was in Slytherin. My sister was in Gyffindor."

"Your family has no house affinity then?" he asked.

"Slytherin if there is no strong trait otherwise. We're an old Blood family." she replied.

Her use of the term old was interesting very few used it these days. "What do you mean by old blood?" he asked.

"The usual definition of old blood is a family that has at least one line of ancestry that's been magical since forever. Including muggleborns into the family does not change the family status like it does for a pureblood." she replied.

By the time he has finished his questions to his satisfaction. It's near dinner time. He excused himself. The claim will have to stay. Young Harry will be raised by Wiltrudis Baines there is no way he can over turn it. Now he has to scramble for damage control. That means finding some one to watch the house hold. A young female apothecary apprentice maybe. He'll have to think on this.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Company.

Chapter 1

31 July 1991

Harry Potter climbed down the ladder from his loft bedroom at his Aunt Wiltrudis' cottage. He turned 11 today. A very important day for a young wizard like himself.

"Happy birthday, Harry you have a very special letter waiting for you today." his Aunt indicated the barn owl perched in the window sill.

Nervously Harry took the letter from the owl feed the owl a raw chicken neck from the owl treat jar by the window. He read the address written in the green ink on the face of the envelope.

Harry Potter

Applegate Cottage Loft

Snowdonia Dragon Preserve Border

Wales

When he turned it over there was the Hogwarts seal. "My Hogwarts Letter!" Harry said with glee.

"I told you it would come. Now eat your breakfast first then you can open it." Wiltrudis ordered with a smile.

Harry placed the letter on the kitchen table by his place. His Aunt placed a plate of grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, baked beans and fried bread. All of his favorites. He dug in with a healthy appetite. Once he had finished eating he opened the letter. The first page was a greeting and a request for him to reply by the first of September. The second page was the important one. The list of his school supplies. This one he handed to his Aunt.

"After your morning chores are done we'll go to Ys to get you your wand. Some of this I have on hand already. The rest we can get in Cardiff tomorrow." Wiltrudis told him.

"Ys itself?" Harry asked with awe.

"Master Graham agreed to it. You will need a proper wand not any of that Ollivander nonsense about a wand choosing a wizard." Wiltrudis said. "Off with you now sooner done sooner we can be gone."

Harry ran to the hen house he had to collect the eggs and feed the birds. The chickens gave him no trouble, nor did the pheasants. The quails on the other hand decided to throw up a fuss. Still he got their eggs with out injury. Simply by chucking them into the pen before taking their eggs. His next chore was to feed the goats and milk the lone milch goat they had this year. That done he took the pail of milk and the eggs back to the cottage. While he was leaving the barn he saw Mama Barn cat and her kittens playing in the sun. He remembered that he was allowed to bring an animal with him. One of the kittens would do just nicely. He'll ask his Aunt if he can bring one inside. Back in the Cottage "4 chicken eggs, 6 quail eggs, 8 Pheasant eggs and 3 pints of milk." Harry told his Aunt.

"Put everything in the cold cupboard and wash up and change into what I set out for you." Wiltrudis ordered as she finished up some brewing she was doing.

Harry did as ordered. Upstairs he found a long robe of unbleached linen that hit just at his ankles. He washed up at the basin and changed into it. Then headed back down the ladder. His Aunt was waiting in a robe of bleached linen with vines and flowers embroidered around the neck and cuffs of the long sleeves. In her hand was her staff. Harry took her extended hand and she thumped it three times on the ground. The world disappeared in a swirl of light then reappeared. They stood in the henge that was the entrance to Ys.

Master Graham was waiting for them. "Wiltrudis welcome back. Harry welcome. Enter here in peace." Graham opened the wards to let them into Ys.

"In peace we come." Wiltrudis said as she stepped onto Ys. Harry repeated the greeting and gave Master Graham a bow for he was Master here and due respect.

"Any idea of what affinities he has from his parents?" Graham asked Wiltrudis.

"Can't say. Ollivander made the wands of both of them and wouldn't give me the details." Wiltrudis replied. "He's had no luck with my wand so we can rule out Apple wood and Dragon heart String. My children came to visist and they're wands came to the same result. So Peach wood and Unicorn Hair and Elm and Dragon heart string are out as well."

"I don't think any fruit wood wouldn't do. It's a witch's wood usually and the few wizards that have it are herbalists who get it as a specialist wand. Any reaction at all from your son's wand?"

"Nothing not even a spark." Wiltrudis said.

"That eliminates Dragon heart string as a possible core then and may be Unicorn Hair as well see." Graham said. By the time this discussion was finished they had arrived at Grahams work shop. "Harry I want you to sit at that table. I'll set the wand woods in front of you. I want you to pick each of them up and handle them. If you get a reaction from any of them set them aside and go to the next one. There will be a box for the ones that you don't react to."

Harry goes to the table and the stool there and sits. When the boxes are set in front of him he picks up the first bit of wood. Nothing he discards it in the empty box. Next Graham asked him to sort the reactions by type of reaction. Warm, cold, tingly. Etc. That left three woods Yew, Ash and Rowan.

Graham has them break for lunch then it's back to the work shop and the cores. Harry goes through the common cores first. Only the Phoenix feather causes any reaction. Then the less common cores. The rare cores and the exotic are last. "Definite affinity for fire in his choice of cores."

A second box of woods is brought out and Harry goes through them. Then the original three Harry chose are brought back out and he is to grade the strength of each wood's reaction. Rowan is eliminated as is the Ash. Iron wood is added as well as the heart wood of a 400o year old bristle cone pine. "Interesting. Now Harry I want you to pair wood and core and tell me which one gives you the best feeling." Graham ordered. The final combination proved to a very interesting wand. Yew with the tail of a salamander. "I have to admit this is a first for me. The wand will be ready in a week. Come and have him pick it up then. I'm curious on how it's going to work."

They return to Applegate cottage were Spud had a very good dinner laid out along with Harry's presents. As they eat Harry asked. "Aunt Wiltrudis may I have one of Mama Barn cat's kittens to take to school with me?"

"No, Harry they'll be to young. The cat has to be at least 9 months old before it can go as a pet. If you want a cat to bring with you I know a breeder who should have several old enough for Hogwarts." Wiltrudis explained.

"Thank you I would." Harry smiled.

The next day after chores. Wiltrudis gives Spud instructions for the day and they climb on their brooms for the trip to Cardiff or rather the train station that will take them into Cardiff. It's little more then a whistle stop. They buy their tickets from the conductor when he comes around.

Once in Cardiff they take the bus to the wizarding section of town. It's tucked behind a statue in front of what looks like building construction. Unlike Diagon Alley in London the Wizarding section of Cardiff is simply a large building with small shops that reach up three floors much like a muggle shopping mall. A tailor takes Harry's measurements for school robes and promised delivery in 5 days. The book sellers has all of the text books. Another shop has the needed quills and parchment. A third has the inks and a set of plain glass vials. So they work their way through the list. Harry's friend John is also there buying his school supplies with his Father.

"Wiltrudis, were does one find Dragon hide gloves around here?" John's Father asked. The man was a muggle.

"That's next on the list for us as well come along. You've gotten John his wand?" Wiltrudis asked.

"Beth's Grandmother is giving him her late husband's wand." John replied.

"That will do for a year or so while he learns his basic spells. He should however after that have his own wand." Wiltrudis told him.

"I heard something about blood affinity." John's Father said.

"It rather simple really. Type of wood follows the Father's side of the family the Core the Mother's in boys, the reverse is true of girls. Mother's the Wood and the core the Father's side of the family.

"So if I understand it he'll have the same core as Beth in his wand and what ever type of core I wood I would have had if I was a wizard." John's Father commented.

"I believe your brother is a wizard correct?" Wiltrudis asked

"Yes, It's how Beth and I met." he replied.

"Well John should have a wand with the same wood as your brother or one closely related to it species wise. Of course sometimes that goes out the window even for an old blood family."

"Wands do choose the Wizard then." John's Father said.

"If you choose a wand that is already made up yes." Wiltrudis said. "Ah here we are." The shop is on the upper floor of the mall. Outside it has a pair of gloves on the sign. There are gloves of all types in the shop. "Two pairs of sturdy dragon hide gloves for school use, two pair of woolen mittens for winter. One pair of leather winter dress gloves all with growing charms on them."

The shopkeeper has them quickly packaged after taking Harry's measurements. John got his Dragon hide gloves then they split up. Wiltrudis took Harry for lunch in Muggle Cardiff at a Pie shop. Then it's back to the train station this time heading to Bath.

In Bath they disembark and head to the lone magical shop which was also the local wizarding pub. Being so close to London most of the magical population of Bath did their shopping in London. Still there are items that a witch might need that a trip to London was just to much of a bother so it did a brisk business. It also had a public floo connection which was why Wiltrudis came here. She paid the 2 knut fee for use then stepped into the fire with Harry beside her.

"Welcome Wiltrudis, how may I help you?" Mrs. Barrow asked.

"My nephew needs a cat old enough for Hogwarts. Your last letter said you had several that you couldn't sell." Wiltrudis commented.

"True enough. A kneazle tom got in with one of my pure blood queens. No one wants a Kneazle Siamese cross. I can't give them away in the muggle world because their points are color change." Mrs. Barrow complained.

"What do you mean the points are color change?" Harry asked.

"Siamese Magical and muggle are born with another color on their ears, tail, and feet. The most common color is dark brown called Seal. The queen that the tom caught was one of my magical Siamese quite suitable for familiars. Magical Siamese can have the ability to change the color of these points." Mrs. Barrow explained. "I've neutered and spayed the entire litter so they can't be bred. Now I just have to find them good homes."

"I'd like to see these kittens please?" Harry asked.

"Certainly follow me." Mrs. Barrow led Harry to a room with six young cats. "Go sit down in the chair. If one comes up to you that's the one that chooses you. Remember these cats have the potential to be familiars. So be patient."

Harry went and sat down in the arm chair. It wasn't long before a dainty female jumped into his lap. Her ears went from seal brown to red then to lilac finally settling on a dark gray lynx marking. Lifting her like his Aunt showed him he carried her to the door were Mrs. Barrow waited.

"What are you going to call her?" Mrs. Barrow said as she let him out of the room.

"Maisie," Harry replied.

"Good choice. I'll get you her cat carrier and her food dishes." Mrs. Barrow said. "I've all her vet paper work both the muggle and the magical you'll have to give that to the beast master once you get to Hogwarts."

With everything Harry would need for school gotten they head home. Once there Harry let Maisie out of her carrier, set up the litter box which was self cleaning, set out her food bowls and let her explore the cottage. He then puts his school supplies in the fine old Dragon Hide trunk he's to use. He marked his calendar only 31 days until the first of September.


End file.
